Rockets are used to launch satellites, probes and even astronauts into space. A rocket launch is extremely impressive. Thousands of kilograms are burned in just a few minutes in order to provide the force that the rocket needs in order to overcome the gravity of the Earth. Rockets provide an exciting context to...

Due to problems in the manufacture of tinplate coils, the edge of the strip can be slightly longer than the centre. This causes a 'wave' on the wall of the coil but can be rectified by differentially stretching the strip to make the edges flat. Students are required to apply Pythagoras' theorem to find the radius...

This is one of a series of resources from the IET designed around the theme of the future of flight with the purpose of developing pupils knowledge and skills in design technology, engineering and mathematics. Modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR...

This resource, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), allows students to investigate the wide range of sophisticated imaging technology available in modern hospitals, and to explore the latest ideas in search-and-rescue robotics.

In this practical activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), students investigate aspects of signal processing. Working in teams, students convert an analogue brain signal into a digital format and transmit it across the classroom to another...

In this activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), students carry out some data analysis to find the best material from which to make a prosthetic foot. They plot graphs of stress against strain and calculate the modulus of elasticity for a...

In this practical activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology, students investigate the properties of smart springs and see how they might be used as muscles in a robotic arm. This activity can be used as an extension to the related activity ‘...

This is one of a set of resources produced in conjunction with the engineering company Arconic. The resources are designed to support teaching of key engineering concepts at both key stage 3 and key stage 4, including the new GCSE in Engineering. This resource focusses on selecting appropriate materials for an...

This is one of a set of resources produced in conjunction with the engineering company Arconic. The resources are designed to support teaching of key engineering concepts at both key stage 3 and key stage 4, including the new GCSE in Engineering. This resource focusses on the understanding of the reasons why...

In this activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), students read about a Wi-Fi system (often called WLAN — wireless local area network) and produce a diagram to show how the ‘wireless’ part is, by necessity, short-range. Mostly, the signal is...

In this activity, students explore the requirements of aerodynamic design through testing simple shapes in a wind tunnel and explain the link between the test results from a wind tunnel and air resistance. The activity focuses on students acquiring an understanding of...

From Practical Action, this challenge asks students to design a simple wind turbine capable of lifting a cup off the floor to bench height. The winning team will be the one producing a machine that lifts the most weight. The resource includes an instruction sheet, wind turbine images, links to videos and...

This resource helps students think about who the winners and losers are when making product choices.

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), is one of a series of activities which explores body centric communications. Students study data and annotate a diagram to show what electromagnetic radiation can penetrate the atmosphere. The...

This engineering activity, suitable for children in computing lessons, looks at the basics of flowchart construction. Simple examples, such as the decisions made by a dog chasing a stick, are used to make flowchart representation of algorithms accessible to younger children. A simple design activity requires...